Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-06-09
Saint Haty'B Beacon,

bage. Wag did not feed on garbage.
The gate keepers wife at the prison
was kind hearted Irish woman who
fed him well. q ~ GIFT
Hes none Of mine, CUR" she said
10 the warden. He come one day
with the wife Of one Of the prisoners,
and he crept in with her and saw his
master just behind the bars, and here
he's stayed ever since. She couldn't
get him away. He knows Johns
here, she says to me, and he's wait
ing for him to come out. f
Hes all ill-conditioned cur" said
Mr.. Bolts. such dogs ought to be
shot. They're no good to anybody"
"But he plays with the children,
zur."
She did not tell the warden that
Wag tried to creep into the prison
whenever the doors were opened, and
howled when kicked out. But his
faithful devotion to the poor wretch
who owned him touched Mrs. Clancy's
warm Irish heart.
Twas God made the haste. He
must have q use for him" she said.
as the warden went on to the prs
on.
Johns wife. "a weak little body,
wild a big sperrit in her." according
to Mrs. Clancy, came no more to the
prison. She sold the little house they
owned in Kensington, and going to
an obscure New Jersey village, bought
a patch of ground, cultivated it and
made a home for her husband when
he should come out.
Nobody knows you here" she
wrote. Nobody will know of the
Slip you made. You can begin afresh.
A good carpenter is much needed and
| have all your tools"
1t seemed the best course to her,
but it would have been wiser il she
had stayed in town and kept up her
influence over him. He was in the
companionship of thieves and drunk
ards, worse men than himself. 1t was
easy for them to persuade him that
the chance for a decent life was over
with him in the world. Their hori-
ION included only guilt and misery,
and he was living in it with them.
His term of imprisonment was for
three years, but on account of his
good conduct he was discharged a
few month earlier. Mary, his wife,
did not know this. But his comrades
in the prison knew it. Two OF them
who were discharged week earlier
arranged to meet him as soon as he
came out.
1t was in the evening when he laid
off his convict garb, and resumed the
clothes he had worn outside. There
was society in the city for the car,
discharged prisoners. The agent gave
him a ticket to carry him to the towr
in which Mary lived and spoke few
kind hopeful words.
You will find your wife there
and new home" he said. Begin
new life with Gods help"
John walked down the corrido
and across the prison-yard, with NJ
hope in his heart 1t was long sine,
he had seen his wife She could no
love meteorological birdl He woult
not 20 to this place where she va
respected to disgrace her He woul(
bring faint on his haby-girl. TIL,
men were waiting for him across tn,
way. He had no mind to 60 steainI
or to any kind of crime, but a few
days hard drinking, or a plunge il
the river would end it all, and tax,
him out of everybody's way.
The gate Enclosed. He passed
through and was a free man again
In the street not far away was
brightly lighted drinking-shop. Hi
comrades were there. He stopped
looked at the ticket in his hand, anc
then-crossed the street to join them
lust at this moment dog rushed
out of the iail-gate, and jumped OF
him, barking, licking his hand, fairl,
mad with JOY.
The poor prisoner stopped. tremb
ling from head to foot, why, it
Wag' It's poor old Wag"
With the sightr OF the dog cam.
back his home that he had dissracec
and ruined; Mary and the baby il
its cradle. A sick longing filled hi
heart to see them again.
Its my wife-it's my little girl =
he thought. He stood irresolute I
moment, and then walked hastily Il
the station. Come. .Wsg; we'll &
home, he said.
This is true story. John Dash j.
living now, an honest citizen, and the